Minnesota Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 13, 2013

MADISON, WIS. --John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Erica Litsheim, 24, Rochester, Minn., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lynn S. Adelman to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiracy to possess oxycodone with the intent to distribute. Litsheim pleaded guilty to this charge on September 3, 2013.

The advisory sentencing guideline range for the defendant’s criminal conduct is 70 to 87 months in prison. In arriving at its sentence, the Court reasoned that the defendant committed the offense to feed her drug addiction and she had not previously been sentenced to more than a few months in jail. The Court applauded the defendant for earning her GED while being incarcerated and for her sobriety.

The conspiracy began in the summer of 2008 and ended in 2011. The object of the conspiracy was to purchase oxycodone pills from Atlanta and/or Miami, and sell the pills in the La Crosse, Wis. area. The oxycodone pills were paid for by MoneyGram wire transfers and shipped to the La Crosse area via Federal Express. Approximately 13 individuals sent money via MoneyGram.

Litsheim sent approximately $30,976.11 on 21 different occasions between November 2008 and January 2010 via MoneyGram. In total, investigators determined that approximately $354,208.71 was wired via MoneyGram for oxycodone pills.

After payment was made for the pills, they were sent to various individuals via Federal Express in stuffed animals. Litsheim received 11 Federal Express packages that contained oxycodone pills. The investigation revealed that a total of approximately 39,556 pills were purchased during the course of the conspiracy.

The charge against Litsheim was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse County Sheriff's Department; the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Munish Sharda.